Hadith, the Ulama, and Politics in Fatimid Egypt
This study examines the condition of the Sunni hadith tradition, the scholarly activities
of the ulama, and their relations with political authority in Egypt under Shiʿi-Ismaʿili
Fatimid rule. It reassesses, through biographical and quantitative evidence, both the
classical view that Fatimid rule eliminated Sunni scholarly activity and modern
interpretations that characterize the period as relatively tolerant. Biographical data
collected from classical historical and biographical sources are analyzed through social
network analysis, geographic information systems, statistical modelling, and a specially
developed “Ulama Population Census Model.” The study evaluates the scholarly profiles
of Egyptian ulama, teacher-student networks, hadith circles, scholarly journeys (rihla),
intellectual centres, authorship activities, and ruler-ulama relations within an integrated
analytical framework. The findings indicate that Sunni hadith transmission continued
without complete interruption under the Fatimids and that teaching circles, particularly
in mosques and private residences, generally remained active. Nevertheless, the absence
of sustained official patronage and sectarian-political pressures created an environment
of indirect self-censorship, especially regarding sensitive issues. The study also
emphasizes the impact of the Great Famine, epidemics, migration, and broader
demographic crises on scholarly life. It concludes that the Fatimid period should not be
characterized as one in which Sunni hadith scholarship disappeared entirely, but rather
as a phase in which scholarly continuity persisted alongside a marked period of decline
and interruption.
Keywords: Hadith; Scholars (ʿUlamāʾ); Egypt; Fatimid Period; Relations Between Rulers
and Scholars; Digital Humanities; Data Analysis